


The Cult

by Taybay14



Series: Saving people, writing prompts [35]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Badass Dean, Cult AU, Cults, Danger, Human Sacrifice, Protective Dean, book nerd Cas, crazy Chuck, violence (though not super graphic)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-18
Updated: 2020-01-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 16:12:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22299877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Taybay14/pseuds/Taybay14
Summary: Prompt from longkissgoodnightbatmantwofac: Chuck is the head of a cult convinced that the apocalypse is coming any day now. When he sees his son Cas making out with another boy he kidnaps them. The boy named Dean is the son of government agents who are determined to get him back.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Series: Saving people, writing prompts [35]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/453034
Comments: 9
Kudos: 120





	The Cult

Skipping the second to last step on the staircase, Castiel successfully tiptoes downstairs and across the kitchen to the back door. He slips outside and stands in the backyard for a full minute, holding his breath as he watches the window of his mom’s bedroom. 

Nothing. 

Grinning ear to ear, Castiel sprints across the yard and down the street. A black impala sits idling on the side of the road, radio on just loud enough for the steady beat of the classic rock song to travel through the air. The words are too muffled for Castiel to tell what song it is. He checks one last time over his shoulder - no mom, just a black SUV parked on the street a few houses down. 

When Castiel hops into the car, Dean doesn’t even let him close the passenger door before grabbing him with both hands and hauling him across the front seat so they can kiss. It’s fast and desperate and everything Castiel needed it to be after going four days without the boy he loves. He’s left breathless, practically panting as he hurries to close his door once Dean pulls away so he can start driving. 

It’s the longest seven minutes in existence before they’re parked at the ridge - their favorite place to watch sunsets, or stargaze, or - Castiel’s favorite activity - hook-up. Dean must have that last one in mind for tonight because he pops in a new mix-tape and climbs into the backseat of the car, wiggling his eyebrows at Castiel in a teasing invitation. “Come here, baby.”

Not sure how it’s possible to feel this giddy without dying, Castiel clambors into Dean’s lap so he’s straddling him. His hands go to Dean’s hair, holding his head in place with a tight grip as Castiel devours his mouth. Dean’s hands slide beneath Castiel’s sweater, callused fingers dragging along his bare skin. He shivers and moans, making Dean chuckle. 

“Shut up,” he says with a laugh against Dean’s lips. 

Dean just laughs again. Then he separates their mouths so he can give Castiel one of those heart-stopping smiles Castiel loves. He lifts one of his large hands to cup the side of Castiel’s face, his thumb dragging across Castiel’s damp bottom lip. “How is it that I’m so in love with you already?”

Blushing, Castiel lifts one shoulder and admits, “I dunno, but I feel it too.”

“Sammy thinks we’re stupid. Said two seventeen year olds who aren’t even allowed to see each other in public, who would have never even met if your mom had been home when I knocked on your door offering my expert lawn mowing services-"

Castiel tilts his head back in a soft laugh. “Oh, really? Expert? I didn’t know experts only charged five bucks a yard.”

Dean winks at him. “I’m a generous person.”

“Mhhhhhm.” Castiel presses a quick kiss to Dean’s lips, then pulls away to look at him again. “I’m so glad I decided to open that door. It had been months since I interacted with anyone other than my mom, and the first time someone knocked while she was gone. Couldn’t turn the chance down.”

“I know.” Dean smiles. “One look at you, and I was a goner, Cas.”

“Same.”

Both of them continue to smile at each other, dwelling on the way they met and began seeing each other. When Castiel had explained to Dean that he wasn’t allowed to leave the house, that he was secluded for his own safety, Dean had been intrigued. He started sneaking Castiel letters inside a shoebox the two of them kept beneath the back porch. Castiel would respond with letters of his own, putting them in the same place. Then Dean snuck him a burner phone so they could lay awake at night talking. Eleven days after they first met, Dean convinced him to sneak out. 

Their first date was in the impala - Dean got them takeout from a diner that’s open 24 hours. Their second date was in the impala - Dean brought them to the high school where his best friend Ash set up a movie to be projected on the brick building for them. Their third date was _on_ the impala - where they laid on the hood together, cuddling as they watched a meteor shower. 

Their fourth date - well… you get the picture. It included the impala, and them. No other people. Never in public. Never during daylight hours. 

Neither of them mind, though Dean has been promising Castiel lately that they’re going to run away together when Dean graduates high school in a few months. Castiel can’t wait. He’s been sneaking a few dollars at a time from his mom’s wallet, trying to save as much as possible. 

“Cas?”

Pulling out of his thoughts, Castiel focuses again on Dean. “Yeah?”

“Sam’s wrong. That’s what I was getting at, before we got all sappy and distracted. He’s so wrong, Cas. This isn’t stupid. I don’t care what happens to us. As long as we’re together, always, nothing else matters.”

“Yes.” Castiel nods frantically, tightening his grip on his boyfriend. Tears spring to his eyes in relief. “Yes. Always.” 

Their lips crash together in a violent kiss, but Dean quickly slows things down, taking his time exploring every inch of Castiel’s mouth. 

One second, Castiel is moaning as Dean nibbles on his bottom lip. 

The next second, the back door of the impala is yanked open and someone has a bruising grip on Castiel’s left arm. Castiel cries out as he’s pulled violently from Dean. Dean reaches blindly for the gun he keeps beneath his front seat, the gun his parents gave him with the warning that something like this could one day happen, but then someone is grabbing him and pulling him away, not giving him enough time to grab the weapon. 

“Shit,” Dean growls. His stomach drops when he hears Castiel call one of the men ‘dad.’ Castiel told him all about Chuck Novak. He’s an insane man. Paranoid and dangerous. 

It’s proven as Dean listens to the man rant while the two boys are dragged along by his lackies. “-cosmic peril, and your mother takes you away! The radiation alone will kill the two of you, if the blast doesn’t! My god, Castiel, stop fighting! I’m saving your life! I’ll even save your boyfriend too!”

Dean’s heart races. Should he try to break free? Or should he go willingly? On one hand, he’d be able to hurry back to his parents and help them find Castiel. On the other, he could stay with Castiel the whole time and ensure he’s safe. 

He can't imagine leaving Castiel like this. It's unfathomable. Plus, Sam knows everything about Castiel and his crazy dad and overprotective mom. He’ll be able to tell their parents anything Dean would be able to tell them. 

Decision made, Dean doesn’t put up a fight when he’s stuffed in the backseat of an SUV. Especially when he flicks his gaze up to see that Castiel is right beside him. Castiel scrambles into his lap and immediately starts crying. Dean wraps his arms around his boyfriend and holds him tight. 

“It’s okay, Cas,” he assures. “We’re still together. It’ll be okay. We’re together.”

\----

"He's been _what?"_ John Winchester shrieks, his face bright red as he stands just inches from his son. Sam stands strong. Firm. He might think Dean is a damn idiot, but he's still his brother. The two of them against the world - always. Their parents are gone on missions so damn often, that's how it's always had to be. 

Sam won't let his father piss him off. Not right now. Not with Dean in danger. 

"I said," Sam says slowly, trying to keep his own panic from showing. Dean always taught him to stay calm in situations like this. He has to be strong for Dean. "He's been secretly dating a boy down the block. Castiel Novak. He's- he's kept inside, all the time, his mom is crazy. Or maybe she's not the crazy one… I don't know. She moved them here to get away from his crazy dad, Ch-"

"Chuck Novak," Mary finishes, her face void of color. 

John shifts. "No. That's not - absolutely not."

"If it is, it must be planned somehow… Castiel must be a trap. A trick."

"Obviously. There's no way a coincidence like that just happens. There's no way our son just _happens_ to start dating the man we've been-" John stops short, side-eyeing Sam. 

Sam blows - Dean would be disappointed, but Dean's not here. "What are you talking about? The man you've been _what_? What is going on?"

"Sam, you need to tell us _everything_ you know. Even the smallest details," Mary orders.

"I don't have to do shit. Not-"

"Watch your mouth, young man!"

"-until you explain what the fuck is going on," Sam finishes, ignoring his father's warning. "I deserve to know what's going on!" 

John and Mary exchange a look before Mary nods at John. When John puts a hand on Sam's shoulder and looks him in the eye, Sam suddenly doesn't want to know anymore. His dad hasn't looked at him like that since… well, _ever._

"Chuck Novak is-"

\----

Chuck Novak is fucking crazy. After being in the man's compound for 37 hours, Dean is absolutely positive of this. There's not even an ounce of truth to his ramblings. To his paranoia. Dean can't figure out the seed that started all of this, which is a problem. His parents taught him well - he's about to come of age, after all. It won't be long before he's an agent too. The biggest thing is finding the root of the crazy. The trigger. The catalyst. 

For Ed Gein, it was his mother's death. The body parts were for her. He loved her, and he wanted to recreate her in a way. Yes, he was diagnosed schizophrenic, but that wasn't the trigger. Dean learned that young. Mental health doesn't equal violence. If you don't look beneath the surface, if you let a mental illness take the blame and move on, you miss the key. 

You miss the core of the issue. 

When you're tossing someone in jail, maybe it doesn't matter. They're gone either way. When you're standing in front of the person, in the midst of their chaos, holding their petrified son close as he refuses to watch the human sacrifice his father is about to make, it fucking matters. When you're hunting them, like Dean knows his parents are, it fucking matters. 

Gein's trigger was his mother's death, giving him the need to pursue bodies. Ed Kemper's was his motorcycle accident, giving him the money he needed to begin hunting his victims. Charlie Manson's was hearing The Beatles' 'Helter Skelter,' giving him what he claimed was a justification. 

They were all crazy before this point, in one way or another, but they hadn't _acted_ on it. Maybe a cat was killed here or a girl was assaulted there, but the _escalation?_ The escalation always came after a trigger. 

Chuck doesn't fucking have one. Not that Dean can find. 

And that terrifies him. 

"Don't look," Dean says in a dark voice, pressing Castiel's face against the curve of his neck. His boyfriend takes a shuddery breath. The sound of someone choking on their own life, trying desperately to breathe despite the slit in their throat, is loud in the otherwise silent air. When Castiel releases his breath, it comes out as a wrecked sob. 

"I don't wanna be here!" he cries, clinging to Dean as Dean guides him away. 

"Shh. You can't let him hear that, baby. You can't let him know." Dean forces Castiel to step away from him so he can look at his face. He cleans the tears and snot away before pressing a soft kiss to the center of his forehead. Pretending not to be afraid, because _one_ of them has to be calm and collected during this, Dean explains, "You have to try your best to put on a mask. To please him. Understand? Don't be obvious. Don't all of a sudden agree with everything he says. But you _have_ to start acting like he's pulling you in. If he writes you off, you're next up there, understood?"

Castiel swallows harshly, tears still in his eyes. "Understood."

"Good." Dean kisses him, this time on the lips. "I love you. "

"Promise?" Castiel asks in a wobbly voice. "Even with all this?" 

"Promise. What's life without a little adventure?" 

"I'm much more of a book person."

Dean laughs softly. "I know. Don't worry, blue eyes. I'll get you out of here and back to your books soon."

Castiel nods, thanking him before kissing him again. Dean tries to focus on the kiss instead of the pounding panic in his head. 

_What if his parents can't find them?_

_What if Castiel can't act the part?_

_What if Chuck kills him?_

_Kills both of them?_

_What if Dean isn't the man his dad taught him to be?_

_What if he's not hero material after all?_

\----

"You will be brought forward anew! There is no reason to fear. No reason to tremble or cry. The ultimate sacrifice will be your savior!"

"Jesus Christ," Dean whispers under his breath. They were all called into the main room of the compound a few minutes ago to find Chuck on the make-shift stage with 7 people. Five adults. Two children. 

It's becoming abundantly clear what's happening.

"Dean." Castiel seems to choke. Probably on a sob. He's been getting so much better. The last few days have been impressive. Dean even finds himself believing Castiel is starting to be on his father's side, but this is past the line for his boyfriend. It's too much. When he regains his composure, he squeezes Dean's hand and quickly looks up at him. The terror in his eyes isn't hidden behind the mask like it has been lately. It's bright and violent and begging Dean for help. 

"It's gonna be okay, Cas. Everything's gonna be okay."

Before Castiel can respond, Chuck is raising a strangely shaped knife-sword thing in the air and yelling words like a battle cry. "For the good of the whole, for the good of the soul, you shall go!"

If this was literally any other situation, Dean would laugh. Make a joke about Chuck being Dr. Seuss. His father taught him that the way to survive in this dark, terrible line of work is to find the humor in it. Laughing in the face of horror is the only way to survive it without becoming a monster yourself. 

But there's nothing funny about this. Not with Castiel shaking so hard his legs look ready to give out. Not with Chuck raising that weapon over his head. Not with the woman who kneels before him and looks up to the sky like she's praying. Not the way Chuck comes down on her, slicing her neck open for everyone to see. Not the way the blood sprays the people in the front of the crowd. Not the way some people cheer or others raise their arms and praise Chuck. Not the way the two children begin to scream. 

"Dean-"

"I know."

"Dean, I _can't_ let those two kids die. I won't."

Dean closes his eyes. "Stay right the fuck here. I am not losing you."

"They're only children! She can't be more than four or five! And the other can barely walk he's so little!" 

"I know."

"Dean… I can't."

He feels Castiel's hand start to slip from his and he tightens his hold, eyes flying open. The expression on his face must show how he's feeling on the inside because Castiel gasps and then shivers. "D - Dean?" 

"Stay. Here. I'll handle it."

"Let me help."

"You stay right the fuck here Castiel Novak, you understand me?" 

With a whimper and a stray tear, Castiel nods. "Yes. Okay. Right here." 

Dean presses a brutal kiss to Castiel's lips. When he pulls back, Castiel keeps his eyes closed. He has to. For just a second Castiel needs to pretend he's somewhere else. 

When he opens his eyes, Dean is already off to the far right. He's like a shadow the way he slips through people on the outskirts of the crowd. No one notices him. No one sees him. 

At least, until Chuck catches the movement out of the corner of his eye. 

Then many things are happening at once. Screaming. Punching. Kicking. Blood flying. A beaten body being dragged to the stage. 

Dean, barely conscious, being held by two men so he's upright on his knees. 

It's the same position as the first woman. His pants are soaking in a puddle of her blood. 

Green eyes find Castiel's and hold steady. With a subtle jerk of his head to the left, Dean tells him to stay where he is. To let this happen. To keep playing Chuck's game. 

Castiel won’t. 

Castiel _can’t._

Then Dean’s lips twitch into a smile and Castiel notices his eyes flick over his shoulder toward the very back of the room. Castiel wants to look but he feels frozen. Terrified. 

“Don’t ya’ll want the names of the others?” Dean asks with a mocking laugh. 

Chuck’s weapon pauses. Lowers. He tilts his head and looks at Dean curiously. “Others?”

“Yeah. The others I’ve been working with.” Dean looks out at the crowd and raises his voice, yelling loud enough for his face to turn red. “The fuckers that said they’d have my back but are being fucking cowards right now!”

Everyone begins looking around. Some seem panicked while others seem angry. A few are just confused. Dean’s laughing. 

“You wanna know or not?”

“Shut up!” Chuck growls, grabbing a fistful of Dean’s hair. “I don’t care who they are. Watching you go through this will scare ‘em off for good. They’re already half-way there if they’re abandoning you like this.” 

Castiel takes a step forward as the weapon is once again raised. He opens his mouth to scream but nothing comes out. He’s empty. Already broken. Dean’s done everything to keep him safe and Castiel can’t even manage to try and help him while he’s kneeling in front of death’s door. 

Castiel tries his best to convey how sorry he is in his expression as tears fall down his cheeks. Strangely, Dean winks at him. Then he lifts his chin in a jerk of a nod and drops to his stomach, tucking his head beneath his arms. 

The weapon falls from Chuck’s hand and lands on Dean’s back, cutting him. Then Chuck and the two men that were holding Dean fall to the floor. Blood drips off the stage. 

“Hands up! The compound is surrounded!” a woman shouts. 

“Everyone get on the fucking floor now! On the ground, hands up!” a man shouts. 

Another man yells, “Ten seconds and we start shooting anyone on their feet!” 

Castiel just stands there. Frozen once again. 

God, who knew he was such a coward in situations like this? He never saw himself as the hero type like Dean, he’s smarter than that, but he thought he’d at least be brave enough to do… _something_. I mean, it sounds like the damn police are here, and yet here Castiel is. Frozen. 

Maybe they should just shoot him. 

Dean would clearly be better off. 

Something hits Castiel square in the chest and he falls to the ground. It hurts less than it should, like he’s being cushioned. He must have been shot. His body is probably in shock and that’s why he’s not feeling much pain. 

Then he hears growled in his ear, “Jesus Christ, Cas. Scared the hell outta me. What were you doing?” 

Castiel can hear the police - or whoever they are - clearing the room and shouting orders. But all he can think is - holy shit, Dean. Dean’s here. Safe. Mad at him. 

He’s never been so happy about someone being mad at him. 

“Cas?” Dean pulls away from him enough to start checking his body over. His hands are gentle but firm. He pushes on different points as if he’s making sure the bones are in tact. “Cas, fuckin’ talk babe. You’re freaking me out.”

“Sorry.” Castiel breathes out a sigh of relief. Once the gates are open and he’s finally talked though, he can’t stop. “He was going to kill you! Oh my god I thought he was going to kill you! What were you thinking? And did you mean what you said about people helping you? Or was that a distraction? You idiot! What were you thinking!? I’m sorry I froze. I’m sorry I didn’t try to get him to stop. I - you could have gotten killed! Did you know they were there? Did you-” Dean pulls Castiel to his feet, hands settling on his shoulders to keep him steady. Castiel just keeps going. “-was incredibly brave but oh my god you seriously could have died, Dean. You could have died. But you saved those kids! Oh, Dean. You saved them! You saved everyone! I can’t believe you were brave enough to do that. Shit. I’m so sorry I froze like a fricken coward. I’m so sorry! Dean, I-”

“Mom, dad,” Dean says with a smirk, nodding at two people as they walk up. “This is my boyfriend, Cas.”

“-love you. You’re-” Castiel stumbles to a stop as he processes what Dean had said. He looks up at the two adults standing there looking at them in both shock and amusement. All of his blood rushes to his face. He must be as red as a firetruck he’s so embarrassed. “I - wow. Sorry. It’s - It’s so nice to meet the two of you.”

The man - or Dean’s father, he supposes - just scowls at Castiel before pulling Dean into one of those ‘manly’ hugs that barely constitutes as a hug because god forbid men show too much emotion. Dean’s mother smiles and rubs Castiel's shoulder though. “Nice to meet you too, Castiel.”

“How do you know his full name? I called him Cas,” Dean says as his mom pulls him into a much tighter, genuine hug. 

“We’ve been hunting his father for three years," Dean’s dad practically growls. “When Sam told us you’ve been fucking around with a Castiel Novak, we put two and two together.”

“John, watch your language.” 

“But-”

“John!”

“He’s a fucking Novak!” 

Dean’s mother sighs dramatically and rolls her eyes. “Go do your job you asshole. We’ll talk about this later.” 

Surprisingly, the big gruff John Winchester slinks away with his head lowered like a puppy that just got hit on the nose. 

“He’ll get used to you. Don’t worry," Mary assures.

“He’ll have to,” Dean says with a grin as he wraps an arm around Castiel’s shoulders and pulls him close so he can press a kiss to his temple. “Cas isn’t going anywhere.”

\---- 

It takes a while for Dean’s family to accept Castiel. 

Sam only took nine days. All he really needed to get over was the fact that Castiel had put his big brother in life threatening danger. Once he realized Castiel had absolutely nothing to do with his father’s craziness - and once he realized how many books Castiel has, and how willing he is to share them - he was on board. 

Mary took two months. Honestly, it seemed like most of her problem was just the shock of her wild boy actually wanting to settle down with someone. Then she met Castiel’s mother and the two of them bonded instantly. By the following weekend, they had a scrapbook going with things like catering menus, cut-out pictures from magazines, and little note cards with ideas written on them. 

They’re thinking a Spring wedding. 

Dean and Castiel weren’t even engaged yet, but it was made clear Spring wasn’t up for discussion. 

John was the hardest. It didn’t happen until late one night, almost six months after the rescue. He came out of his study and into the kitchen for a drink, finding Dean already at the breakfast counter with a drink of his own. The issue of Dean drinking underage wasn’t what made John stop him in his tracks. Dean had been drinking for a few years, and the following month when he turned 18, Dean would be joining the very adult, very dangerous agency his parents were a part of. 

No. What stopped John Winchester in his tracks was the black velvet ring box that was sitting beside Dean’s glass of whiskey. When he stepped closer, he saw the box was long enough for three rings to sit side by side. 

Dean had looked up at his dad that night and admitted, “I can’t decide. I bought ‘em all… because I can’t decide.” 

He had expected his dad to say another comment about Castiel being a Novak or not being good enough for Dean or whatever else he was always saying. 

Dean hadn’t expected John to point to the gunmetal engagement ring with the very thin line of light blue running all the way around the center of it. It was the one in the middle. “That one’s the winner,” John had said. “It’ll bring out his eyes.”

When Dean proposed two days later, John had pulled Castiel into a hug - a manly hug, don’t worry about that, John Winchester would never let his masculinity slip - but a hug nonetheless. He clapped him on the back and told him in the sure, steady voice of a father, “I couldn’t have asked for anyone better for my son.”

They got married four months later. 

It was a Spring wedding. 


End file.
